Grinds

Through the lips and over the tongue, look out stomach, here

I moved to Kaua‘i on a Friday. By Saturday, my

boyfriend’s grandparents invited everyone and their uncle for a

Hawaiian-style BBQ to celebrate our move.

Through the lips and over the tongue, look out stomach, here I come.

I moved to Kaua‘i on a Friday. By Saturday, my boyfriend’s grandparents invited everyone and their uncle for a Hawaiian-style BBQ to celebrate our move.

This was one of my first introductions to Hawaiian cuisine. Except it’s not really Hawaiian cuisine. It’s more like an eclectic mix of Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Polynesian, Portuguese, Puerto Rican, Samoan, Thai and Vietnamese foods. 

I quickly learned there are two rules when you attend a party:  1 —you better bring a dish,  and 2 — You better bring a lot of it. And no need to bring my “haole food” as a coworker once warned me. While the recommendation of cheese and crackers for an office party was good for a lot of laughs, it wasn’t considered as an actual suggestion.

Since my move, I’ve tried to be more adventurous with the local cuisine. Some were surprisingly delicious, others made me involuntarily gag. 

Kimchi: I must admit, it took me two years to even consider eating kimchi. The idea of eating fermented, spicy cabbage was not at all appealing. Every time a waiter asks if I prefer kimchi or mac salad to accompany my chicken katsu, the clear answer was fried rice (I’m not a fan of macaroni salad, either). Last week, I tried kimchi for the first time, and that will probably be my last.

Pasteles: I’m still unsure how to pronounce the name of this Puerto Rican dish. Some people pronounce the “s,” others don’t. This dish is my boyfriend’s grandmother’s specialty. For years he raved about the taste of cubed pork wrapped in a banana-based masa dough. When I first tried a bite, the masa seemed bitter. Over time, and many more samplings, it became one of my favorite dishes.

Octopus: I never had the guts to try octopus. The tentacles gross me out. It looks like I can throw it against the wall and it will stick via its suction cup. After ordering a variety of sashimi at Kintaro, there was only one piece left. The octopus. Not wanting it to go to waste, I closed my eyes and took a bite. It wasn’t nearly as chewy as I thopught it would be, and it had a delicious, meaty taste to it. I am now a fan.

Mochi: Why, oh why did it take 23 years of my life to discover the Japanese delicacy known as mochi? Whether it’s frozen or room temperature, filled with ice cream or a red bean paste, it’s one of my favorite new food finds.

Spam: I always thought that only college students bought Spam. When I moved here, I learned that it was a staple in every kitchen. I’m indifferent to Spam. I don’t love it, but I don’t hate it. My favorite Spam recipe is when it’s used to make musubi; my least is when it’s fried and served over rice (a sin, I know).

Char Siu: Where has char siu been all my life? Traditional char siu is seasoned and left to marinate for a few days before it is roasted in an oven. This delicious piece of roasted pork is the perfect ingredient for chow mien, fried rice and saimin noodles. It’s equally delicious served by itself.

Bacalao: What can I say? Salty cod fish. I am definitely not a fan.

Li hing mui: I am not a fan of this dried plum. I’ve tried sucking the seed. I’ve tried sprinkling powder over fresh mangoes and pineapples. I’ve tried li hing mui gummy snacks. The gummy snacks were OK, mainly because it disguised the flavor of li hing mui. The mixture of plum, sugar, salt and licorice makes by tongue curl.

Poi: Poi is a staple in the Polynesian cuisine. It’s a bit bland, but I enjoy the sweet taste of freshly made poi mixed with steamed rice. But when poi isn’t fresh, it loses its sweetness and turns too sour for my taste. My solution is to add a bunch of sugar.

• Andrea Frainier, lifestyle writer, can be reached at 245-3681, ext. 257 or afrainier@thegardenisland.com.